Never Parted
by SilverLady
Summary: The Gundam Boys are getting old.
1. Part One

Never Parted 

By SilverLady

Heero sat quietly, holding Duo's hand. He tried to ignore how thin it was, just as he ignored the tube taped to the back of it.

The tube was just one of many that festooned Duo's body, giving and taking away fluids and other necessities for living. There were also just as many wires connected to him, linking him with the many machines that kept constant vigil.

The doctor had given Heero a long speech on Duo's condition, full of big medical term. All the fancy talk boiled down into one fact: his partner was dying and there was nothing that could be done to save him.

Partner. There was a word he had never really thought he'd apply to Duo. Sure, they had teamed up on missions during the war. But Heero had considered Duo more of a compatriot than a partner, then.

Heero smiled slightly, remembering the first time he'd seen the longhaired American. He wasn't really surprised that Duo had shot him. He probably would have done the same thing if their positions had been reversed. What had always amazed him was that Duo had risked his life to save him from that military hospital.

Every time he'd asked Duo why, he'd been given the same answer. "It was my fault you were in there, it was my responsibility to get you out."

For Duo it had been that simple, but it still didn't make that much sense to Heero. He didn't honestly think he could have done the same thing. It would have risked the mission and that was something he just couldn't do.

Maybe it was a good thing their positions hadn't been reversed.

He sighed as he gently stroked the back of Duo's hand. If someone had told him then that Duo would become his lifemate he would have shot them for being crazy. He could barely tolerate the loud, long-winded, energetic boy. The thought of spending a lifetime with him had been ludicrous. 

But, somehow, his feelings had changed. It had been a long, difficult process but it had happened. Now he was facing the prospect of losing Duo and it was something he could not bear to contemplate.

Here was a battle the Perfect Solider wanted desperately to win; yet he was powerless to do so. The life of his love was in someone else's hands now.

Another memory rose in Heero's mind, one that happened several years after the war. It was of Duo, standing tall and proud as he received his college diploma. It had been a hard struggle, but Duo had succeeded. There had been a great many doubts on Duo's part, but Heero had stood by him, ready to accept whatever decision Duo made. Even when Duo had come home so discouraged he'd been ready to quit, Heero had simply taken him into his arms and told him he would always stand by him.

Just then there was a soft knock on the door, interrupting Heero's thoughts.

Before he could answer, a brown haired man stuck his head in. "Dad?"

Heero smiled at the man. Gavin was one of eighteen young men and women that called him "Dad". They were all children that Duo had taken permanently under his wing. There were many more that had stayed for varying amounts of time and still kept in touch. But the eighteen that had stayed were special, to both him and Duo.

"You can come in. He's asleep."

Gavin walked quietly into the room. "I came as fast as I could."

Heero nodded. "You're the first one to arrive."

Gavin looked at the man he'd gladly called Dad from the time he was fourteen. "Have you talked to the doctor?"

"Hai."

"And?"

"There's nothing he can do but make him comfortable."

"What?! He's just going to give up. Where is that quack? I'll...."

Heero stood up and placed his hand on Gavin's shoulder. "Don't you think that if there was anything that could be done, I would have them do it?"

"But..."

"He's getting old. His body is tire and is simply shutting down. There's nothing that can be done to stop it."

Gavin's eyes blazed angrily. "He's **not **old! He's only...." Gavin paused and his shoulder's slumped.

Heero smiled gently. "Neither on of us ever thought we'd live this long. He's had a good life, but now it's time for him to rest."

"How can you take this so calmly?"

"Because there is no use getting worked up over something you can't change."

Gavin stared at Heero in shock. He couldn't believe how Heero was behaving. Then Gavin looked into Heero's eyes and understood. This calm, seemingly uncaring, mask was the only way Heero could keep from falling apart.

"Did he say how much longer?"

Heero shook his head. "It's hard to say. It could be a few hours or several days."

Gavin nodded. "I'll go wait for the others."

"That would be fine. Break it to them gently."

Gavin gave a weak laugh. "You're asking me to be gentle. The human bulldozer." Gavin's voice cracked a little on the last word. It was the nickname Duo had given him shortly after his arrival at his new home.

Heero smiled again. "It will be all right. You'll do fine."

"Yeah, right." Gavin turned to the door and paused. "If he wakes up before I get back, tell him thanks. I don't know what would have happened to me without you both."

"You would have survived."

"But in what form?" Gavin swallowed heavily. "I love you both, you know that. I owe you so much."

"Which you've paid back many times over."

Gavin looked back at Heero. There was a sheen of unshed tears in his eyes. "Tell him we all love him."

"I will."

Gavin gave him a weak smile then slipped quietly from the room.

Heero returned to his seat and once again took up his silent vigil. He closed his eyes and simply sat there, dreading the thought of what was to come.

Ten minutes had passed when Duo's eyes opened. "Hi," he whispered, his voice just a shadow of its former self.

Heero smiled at him. "Hi yourself."

"Shouldn't you be out blowing up a building or something?"

"Can't. My partner's laid up at the moment."

Duo sighed. Slowly he reached up to run his fingers through Heero's hair. He'd often teased Heero about the silver streaked black hair, asking him if he couldn't make up his mind about going gray or not. Duo's own hair, still as long as ever, had turned a soft silver color.

"You're not going to pretend there's nothing wrong, are you?" Duo whispered, his fingers moving restlessly.

"No."

"It will be soon, won't it?"

Heero swallowed the lump in his throat. "Hai."

Duo smiled. "I always figured I'd see Shinigami long before this."

"I know."

Duo's hand dropped back to the bed. "It's not so bad, really."

"I know." Heero brushed a stray lock of hair from Duo's eyes. "Gavin was here."

Duo smiled again. "Really?"

"He said to tell you thanks. And that he loves you. That they all love you."

"I know. I'll miss them." Duo was quiet for a moment. "Heero?"

"Hai?"

"Would you kiss me?"

Heero leaned over and placed gentle lips on Duo's. The kiss spoke of things left unsaid. After a moment Heero ended the kiss, pulling slowly away.

"Heero?" Duo's voice was weaker.

"Hai?"

"Do you love me?"

"For always."

"Good." Duo closed his eyes. "I wouldn't want it to be one sided."

Heero held Duo's hand as Duo sighed one last time and then was still. Then he laid his head on Duo's still chest and closed his eyes. "Never parted," he whispered.

After a moment, he too was still.


	2. Part Two

Never Parted (Part 2)

By SilverLady

Quatre lowered his head and sighed. While not completely unexpected, the phone call had been difficult to take.

"Who was that?"

Quatre turned at the sound of his beloved's voice. "Gavin," he answered softly.

Trowa moved across the room to kneel at Quatre's feet. Time had been kind to the gentle blonde. Except for a glint of silver among the gold, and a few fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, he looked much like he had the first time Trowa had seen him, stepping out of Sandrock's cockpit with his hands up in a gesture of surrender and more.

"What did he want?" Trowa's voice was just as soft.

Quatre's face grew sad and his eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Duo and Heero passed away a few hours ago. The funeral will be tomorrow." 

Trowa blinked back the moisture that suddenly filled his eyes. "Duo and Heero? I knew that Duo had been sick. But Heero seemed fine, just worried about Duo."

Quatre nodded. "Gavin says the doctor believes Heero died within a few minutes of Duo's passing. They couldn't find anything wrong with him. His heart simply stopped."

Trowa nodded. He understood now. "He couldn't bear the thought of going on without Duo."

Quatre reached out to brush his hand across Trowa's cheek. "Would you live on without me?"

Trowa looked at him for a moment, a little startled by the question. "I don't think so," he finally answered. "I understand just how Heero must have felt. The thought of going on without you in my life is something I don't even want to contemplate." He placed his hand over Quatre's. "You are my life."

Quatre gave him a gentle smile. "I feel the same way."

Trowa suddenly stood up, pulling the blond to his feet as well. "When you were so sick, I was afraid. I didn't want to wake up in the morning for fear that you would be gone. And yet, I didn't want to fall asleep at night for the same reason."

Quatre rested his cheek against Trowa's chest. "I was afraid, too." He paused. "Afraid that you wouldn't want to stay. That you wouldn't be able to handle my illness and leave, rather than deal with it. Every moment that you weren't there I waited anxiously for your return, dreading the thought that this time you wouldn't come back."

Trowa tipped Quatre's face upward, cupping it in his hands. "I promised I would always stand by you. Through the good and the bad. I meant it when I said it and I will always mean it. I love you, Quatre Raberba Winner. For now and for always."

One of Quatre's trademark smiles lit his face. "I love you, too."

Trowa leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on Quatre's lips. "So no more talk of outliving each other. That is something to think about later. I know Duo and Heero wouldn't want us having such sad thoughts."

"I know. I miss them already." Tears once again swelled in Quatre's eyes.

"I do too." Trowa swiped away a tear that rolled down Quatre's cheek. "But be glad neither on suffered for too long."

Quatre nodded. He was glad that Heero hadn't had to go on without Duo. The thought of Heero alone was nearly unbearable. Heero just wasn't Heero without Duo. The two really were two parts of a whole and one without the other would be like a broken toy. Nearly useless.

Trowa placed another kiss on Quatre's lips. He knew where the blonde's thought were headed and was determined to steer them away from that course, for now. "Shall we go to bed?"

Quatre frowned. He didn't think his sense of time had gotten that bad. "It's still early, isn't it?"

Trowa arched an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're getting too old to go to bed early."

Quatre suddenly giggled. "No, I'm not." He placed his hand on Trowa's elbow. "Lead on."

Trowa smiled as he guided his love from the room. "Shall we leave the lights on or turn them off?"  


Quatre frowned slightly. "Whichever you like." _It makes no difference to me. _The words hung, unspoken, in the air.

Trowa squeezed Quatre's hand. "Makes things more interesting."

Quatre sighed. "But I miss looking at your beautiful face."

Trowa snorted. "You may be lucky, then. You won't have to watch me grow old. In your eyes, I will remain forever young."

Quatre gave a short laugh. "I didn't know you were so vain."

"Still learning things about me." Trowa paused at the doorway to their room. "From this point no more talk of sad things. That is for tomorrow, when we must bid farewell to our friends. Tonight is for us."

Quatre nodded. For Trowa he would do nearly anything, even set sad thoughts away for awhile.

The wind was cold and there was a promise of rain in the air as Quatre listened to the soft voice of the minister speaking.

But Quatre wasn't really listening to what the man was saying. He was remembering all the things that the five of them had done through the years. Most of them instigated by Duo. He would miss the laughter that followed Duo wherever he went and the long-suffering sigh that Heero would often emit when Duo came up with something new.

Just then Trowa nudged him forward. Quatre took the flower that was placed in his hand and dropped it into the new grave.

"Never parted," Trowa whispered, reading part of the inscription on the stone. "Partners in love, Partners in life." Trowa sighed. "They're off on the next great adventure."

Quatre nodded in agreement. He could almost hear Duo's laughter on the wind. He knew that Duo would find death just another adventure. One that he would enjoy as long as Heero was by his side. 

Quatre wrapped his arms tightly around Trowa's as they turned and left the grave. "Until we met again," he whispered to that silent laugh.

"We'll be waiting," came the soft reply.

"I know." Quatre smiled up at Trowa. "Let's go home."

Trowa smiled back. "As you wish, little one."


	3. Part Three

Never Parted (Part 3)

By SilverLady

Wufei barely even looked up as the door opened and a young girl stepped into his room. He continued to stare out the window at the world that seemed to be passing him by. 

"Grandfather?" the girl whispered, not wanting to disturb him.

Wufei turned slowly. "What, Mei Ling?"

"You just got a phone call."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought you were asleep. I didn't want to wake you."

Wufei snorted. "Am I so old and frail to you, child?"

"No, grandfather."

"Then disturb me, next time. I have little else to look forward to."

"Of course, grandfather."

"Now, what was this phone call about?"

"Your old friends, Quatre Winner and Trowa Barton."

Wufei smiled slightly at the mention of the two other Gundam Pilots. He enjoyed their company, when they came. It wasn't as often as it had been, once upon a time. Especially not so much in the six months since Heero and Duo had passed away.

"Are they coming for a visit?"

Mei Ling lowered her eyes so that Wufei couldn't see the tears in them. "No, grandfather. They passed away in their sleep last night."

"Together?"

"Yes. One of the servants found them this morning. They say it was a peaceful death, for both of them. That they simply went to sleep and never woke up."

Wufei sighed. He was glad that neither of his friends would have to mourn the loss of the other and yet... he was going to miss them dearly. Now there was no one left to remember the past and share old stories with him.

Of all the Gundam pilots, Wufei was the only one to settle down and have children of his own. Four strong, proud, beautiful daughters. He had cursed a bit as each of his daughters was born, but he loved them all very much. As much as he loved the beautiful woman that had bore them. 

He still missed Sally, even after all these years. He had hoped for a long and happy life with her, but it was not to be. Carra, the youngest of his children, had been barely three when Sally had died. She had been pregnant with another child when something had gone terribly wrong. Both she and the child, this one a boy, had not survived. Wufei had mourned the loss of his wife and had been angry at the spirits that had taken her from him. He hadn't even wanted to have a fifth child; that had been her idea. She was the one with thoughts of presenting Wufei with the son she thought he deserved. No matter how much he had muttered about being surrounded with women, Wufei had been perfectly happy with his four daughters.

He was glad that none of the others had had to go on without their partner. He knew how difficult that could be.

They had rallied around Wufei to support and help him through the difficult times following Sally's death, but he'd had no one when the nights were long and lonely. Though he had considered remarrying, to give his daughters someone who might understand them better, he had never found anyone who made him feel as Sally did. He had seen what a good partnership could do and he hadn't been willing to settle for anything less for himself. Selfish, perhaps, but that was the way he had felt.

Wufei sighed again. Suddenly he felt very old and very tired. Maybe, soon, he could join his friends in the peace of eternal sleep. He longed for it fiercely, now. He had done much for this world and now it was time to let the young ones take over.

"Did the caller say anything else?"

"There is to be a private burial tomorrow. In the same cemetery where Duo and Heero are buried."

Wufei nodded slightly. It had actually been Quatre's idea to buy the large plot of land as a final resting place for the five Gundam pilots and their families. Wufei had scoffed at the idea at first, but had changed his mind when Sally had been the first one interred there.

"Do you want to go, Grandfather?" Mei Ling walked up and place her hand on Wufei's arm.

Wufei looked down at the gentle hand on his. A hand that had never known hard times or war. A hand that had never killed a man just to stay alive. This was the hand that would hopefully carry the peace on for the next generation.

Carefully he put his own scarred hand on her's. "I think they would understand if I wasn't there. I am too tired to feel up to the trip. I will remember them in my own way, in my own home."

"As you want, Grandfather." Mei Ling placed a light kiss on his cheek. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

Wufei nodded. "Bring me several long white candles. And a bit of incense. I will hold my own small service for my fallen friends."

"Of course, Grandfather. I'll go and fetch them now."

"Thank you."

Mei Ling turned and hurried from the room, anxious to do her grandfather's bidding. She loved the quiet old man and the stories he told of the old day. Of all of her siblings and cousins, she was the most interested in the past. She wanted to understand what had led her grandfather and his friends on the path they had taken. She wanted to understand why they had felt the need to fight. Most importantly, to her, she had wanted to be able to take up the sword of justice she knew her grandfather would soon be putting down. To carry on in his and the others' names in keeping the peace they had fought so hard to achieve. 

Wufei sighed as he got carefully to his feet and walked over to the low table where Mei Ling had things up to his specifications. 

He bowed slowly and carefully to the small altar he had set up, before kneeling carefully in front of it. Moving in a slow careful manner, he lit the four white candles, whispering a name with each one. "Duo, Heero, Quatre, Trowa."

Then he bowed his head in remembrance for the four men that he gladly called friend. Duo's contagious laughter, Quatre's brilliant smile, Heero's strength, and Trowa's calm. They were all so important to him, even though he rarely admitted it out loud. Or to himself for that matter. Now they were all gone and there was no one else to remember.

"Wufei," a voice whispered, far away and soft.

Wufei kept his eyes closed, swaying slightly in response to the voice.

"Wufei." 

Wufei looked up and stared blankly into the candlelight. The voice seemed closer and more familiar. "Sally," he whispered back.

Suddenly a soft laugh filled his heart. "Wanna come out and play, Wu-man," a soft voice teased.

"Baka." Wufei could here the low voice that would answer.

"It's time to go, Wufei. Your job is finished. You have done what you needed to do." The voice was soft and gentle to his ears.

Slowly he nodded. Yes, it was time to go. He would miss those he had to leave behind. But, like him, they would carry on.

With a soft sigh, he sagged slowly to the floor. "Goodbye," he whispered.

"Don't ya mean hello?" the laughing voice asked.

Wufei opened his eyes to find his four teammates standing before him. He smiled. "Am I going to have to put up with you for all eternity, Maxwell?"

"Looks that way," Duo replied, his eyes dancing with mischief. "Means things won't get boring."

"Wufei," again the voice called.

He turned to find Sally standing just a little ways away. Beside her stood another woman. "Merian," he whispered.

"It's about time you showed up," came the teasing reply.

Wufei sighed. "I know."

With a smile at the four men that were his closest friends he walked to where the two woman that meant so much in his life stood. "I am ready."

"Good," Sally told him, taking his hand. "Let's go."

He glanced over his shoulder to where the others followed. "I never knew that the phrase 'Never Parted' would apply to all of us."

"Destiny," was Heero's quiet reply.

Trowa nodded, but said nothing.

Wufei bowed his head for a moment. "Yes. Destiny."

"A bitch, ain't it?" Duo teased, before dashing on a head.

Wufei rolled his eyes, but willingly followed. He had a feeling things weren't over for the Gundam Five. Not by a long shot.


End file.
